Alarm-clock.



E. E. GAGE.

ALARM CLOCK.

APPLICATION FILED 00115, 1913.

1,088,978. Patented Mar. 3, 1914.

I1; Ven tor; l'dwarzzfl. (7 a Atty UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD E. GAGE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGN OR TO YANKEE WIZARD CLOCK COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

ALARM-CLOCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 3, 1914.

Application filed October 15, 1913. Serial No. 795,193.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWARD E. GAGE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York, borough of Manhattan, in the county of New York and State of New York, have made and invented certain new and useful Improvements in Alarm-Clocks, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to alarm clocks, and particularly to alarm clocks of the type disclosed in my application entitled Alarm mechanism for clocks, filed January 3rd, 1913, Serial Number 739,968, and in which a rotary setting member or bezel is employed for the purpose of setting the alarm mechanism of the clock in order to determine the time at which the same shall operate.

The object of my invention is to provide an alarm mechanism for clocks in which movement imparted to the rotary setting member will be automatically communicated to the switch member commonly used in alarm clocks for the purpose of permanently arresting or shutting off the alarm mechanism so that the same will not sound, so that the mere act of setting the clock will auto matically move the switch out of engagement with the alarm mechanism and leave the same in condition to operate at the end of the time for which the clock is set and the operator will not have to both set the alarm and move the switch out of engagement with the alarm mechanism. It will thus be seen that in my improved alarm mechanism a single operation serves to both set the alarm and move the stopping switch out of engagement with the alarm mechanism, from which it follows that the clock will operate after it has been set without the neces sity on the part of the user of operating the stopping switch.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention consists in the improved alarm mechanism for clocks illustrated in the accompanying drawing and hereinafter described and claimed, and in such variations and modifications thereof as will be obvious to those skilled in the art to which my invention relates.

In the drawing wherein the preferred embodiment of my invention is illustrated, Figure l is a view showing an alarm clock in elevation, the same being equipped with my improved alarm mechanism; Fig. 2 is a view showing the clock in side elevation;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view illustrating a portion of my improved alarm mechanism, the casing of the clock being broken away to show the features of internal construction, and Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view illustrating certain elements of the alarm mechanism in which my invention consists.

Referring to the drawing, the reference numeral 5 designates the external casing of an alarm clock, 6 the bell, and 7 a shaft carrying a hammer adapted to strike the bell and sound the alarm. The shaft 7 carries an oscillating escapement 8 which is operated by a verge wheel 9 which forms a part of the alarm train of the clock, as is usual in alarm mechanisms. The shaft 7 is provided with an arm 10 which arm is so located as to be engaged by the bent end 11 of an oscillating switch member 12, the lower end of which is pivotally secured to the front plate 13 of the frame whereby the time and alarm trains, and other elements of the clock, are supported. of the drawing shows the switch member in a position to engage the arm 10 from which it follows that movement of the alarm train will be arrested and the clock kept silent so long as the switch remains in that position. If, however, the switch member is swung to the right the upper end thereof will be moved away from the said arm, thus leaving the alarm mechanism free to opcrate when the alarm train is released b the time train at the time for which the alarm is set.

The means whereby the alarm train is released by the time train at the time for which the alarm is set is not shown, as the same forms no part of my invention and any suitable means to that end may be used. The means for setting the alarm is, however, involved in my invention and is shown as comprising a rotary setting ring or bezel 14L surrounding the face of the clock and carrying the glass 15 thereof and which ring is operatively connected with the outer end of an arm 16, the inner end of which is connected with a setting sleeve as in the alarm mechanism disclosed and claimed in my application for patent hereinbefore referred to. The setting ring or rotary bezel is supported in a bearing provided in the case of the clock, as will be understood from Figs. 1 and 3, and may be rotated to set the alarm mechanism by grasping the roughened or knurled portion 17 thereof between the thumb and fingers, as will be understood.

The switch member 12 is provided with an arm 18 which extends at the outside of the casing 5 and is provided with a knob 19, so that the switch may be moved to cause its free end to engage the arm 10 and thus permanently arrest the operation of the alarm mechanism and cause the clock to remean silent so long as the switch remains in that position.

The drawing illustrates a graduated plate 20 located adjacent the outer end of the arm 18 and inscribed Minutes Hours and Silent so that the alarm mechanism may be set to go off after a definite number of minutes from a given present time, or at a definite hour and minute, or may be permanently shut off, all as in my application hereinbefore referred to. The invention to which this application relates, however, comprehends a setting member or rotary setting ring broadly considered, and irrespective of whether or not the alarm mechanism contains features whereby the alarm may be set to go off at a definite minute.

The reference numeral 21 designates a movable switch operating member shown as pivotally connected at 22 to a bridge 28 secured to the casing 5 and located adjacent the periphery of the rotary setting member 14. This switch operating member is operatively connected with the arm 18, and consequently, with the switch member 12, such connection being established in the form of my invention illustrated by providing the switch operating member with a slot 2 1: in which the free outer end of the arm 18 lies.

The switch operating member 21 is operatively connected with the rotary setting member 1 1 so that when said member is rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow, Fig. 3, the switch operating member will be swung about its pivotal connection and the switch member 12 moved out of engagement with the arm 10. This is shown as accomplished by providing the forward end of the switch operating member with one or more openings 25 with the walls of which openings ratchet teeth 26 at the periphery of the rotary setting member 1% engage as said member is rotated, to thereby oscillate the switch operating member. This construction provides a device in which the switch operating member acts also as a pawl to prevent the rotary setting member from being moved backward, as the form of the teeth is such that the switch operating member will be first moved to bring the end of the arm 18 against the upper end of the slot 27 through which said arm extends, after which the inclined faces of the teeth will slip past the end of the switch operating member as the setting member is rotated to the alarm, because of the resilience of said switch operating member. If, however, it be attempted to rotate the setting ring in a direction against the arrow, Fig. 3, the abrupt or radial faces of the teeth will engage the openings at the end of the switch operating member and prevent rotation of the setting member.

In view of the premises, and assuming that the free end of the arm 18 has been moved downward into either the hours or silent position, it will be seen that if the rotary setting member 14: is rotated to set the alarm mechanism so that the alarm will go off after a certain number of minutes, the initial movement of said member will move the switch operating member about its pivotal support, which movement will be transmitted to the switch member 12 in a direction to move the upper end thereof out of engagement with the arm 10, thus leaving the alarm train free to operate when it is released by the time train. A single movement imparted to the rotary setting member thus serves to set the clock for minutes and to release the alarm mechanism; the possibility of a failure of the clock to operate after it has been properly set, due to neglect on the part of the operator to operate the releasing switch, is avoided; and a clock is produced which is simpler and more readily understood than is the case in clocks wherein two separate operations are necessary in order to set the alarm.

Having thus described and explained my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In an alarm clock, alarm mechanism including a shaft having an arm; a movable setting member for determining the time at which said alarm mechanism shall operate; a movable switch adapted to engage the arm aforesaid to thereby control said alarm mechanism; and means intermediate said setting member and said switch and through which motion is transmitted from said setting member to said switch.

2. In an alarm clock, alarm mechanism; a movable setting member for determining the time at which said alarm mechanism shall operate; a movable switch adapted to engage an element of the alarm mechanism to thereby arrest the operation thereof; and means operated by said setting member and adapted to move said switch out of engagement with the alarm train during the initial movement of said setting member as the same is moved to set the alarm mechanism.

3. In an alarm clock, alarm mechanism; a rotatable setting ring surrounding the face of the clock for determining the time at which said alarm mechanism shall operate; a movable switch adapted to engage an element of the alarm mechanism to thereby arrest the operation thereof; and a switch the alarm mechanism to thereby arrest the operation thereof; a rotatable setting ring surrounding the face of the clock and the periphery of which is provided with a series of teeth; a pivotally supported switch operating member engaged by said teeth and to which motion is communicated as said setting ring is rotated; and an arm carried by said switch and the free end of which is in engagement with said switch operating member.

7. In an alarm clock alarm mechanism; a rotatable setting ring surrounding the face of the clock for determining the time at which said alarm mechanism shall operate, and which ring is provided with a series of ratchet teeth; a movable switch operating member in engagement with said teeth and adapted to prevent backward rotation of said setting ring; a pivotally supported switch; and means whereby motion is transmitted from said switch operating member to said switch.

Signed at New York, borough of Manhattan, in the county of New York and State of New York this 11th day of October,

operating member operated by said setting ring during the initial movement thereof as the same is moved to set the alarm mechanism, and which switch operating member is operatively connected with said switch.

4. In an alarm clock, alarm mechanism; a rotatable setting ring surrounding the face of the clock for determining the time at which said alarm mechanism shall operate; an oscillating switch adapted to engage an element of the alarm mechanism to thereby arrest the operation thereof; a movable switch operating member in permanent operative engagement with said setting ring; and an arm carried by said switch and with which said operating member is operatively connected.

5. In an alarm clock, alarm mechanism; a pivotally supported switch adapted to engage an element of the alarm mechanism to thereby arrest the operation thereof; a movable switch operating member; a rotatable setting ring surrounding the face of the clock and the periphery of which ring is in operative engagement with said switch operating member; and an arm through which motion is communicated from said A. D. 1913. switch operating member to said switch. EDIVARD E. GAGE.

6. In an alarm clock, alarm mechanism; Vitnesses:

a pivotally supported switch the free end of R. WV. FLINT, which is adapted to engage an element of i ANNA V. WVALsH.

patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patentn.

Washington. D. G.

coplel at this 

